


A True Love's Sacrifice

by SlushyRain



Series: A Drabble A Day Keeps The Doctor Away [6]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Drabble, Fate is a bitch, Gaster is good dad, I cried while writing this, I'm so sorry, M/M, Not sure what else to tag.., RIverperson is a cryptic asshole, Sans makes a major sacrifice, Who helps Sans via letter, major angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-09
Updated: 2017-03-09
Packaged: 2018-10-01 16:36:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10194080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SlushyRain/pseuds/SlushyRain
Summary: When Papyrus falls ill for no apparent reason, Sans struggles to find the cure. However, the cure is something that would change both of their lives forever.





	

**Author's Note:**

> GOOD LORD, I APOLOGIZE. I was scrolling through otpprompts and this prompt punched me in the face and I had to do it. I had to. 
> 
> There is a slight hint at Sans and Papyrus having intimate moments, which is why I've rated this Teen. Nothing extremely explicit is stated!

Sans knew life was unfair. He was the recipient of every single one of fate’s jokes from his pitiful one HP to the resets that plagued his life. He grit his teeth and pushed through it, keeping his eyes on the one thing that mattered; Papyrus.

Papyrus was Sans’ will to live, his sunshine in the morning and the moon at night. Sans loved Papyrus more than anything in the multiverse and by some weird lucky draw, Papyrus loved him back. The two of them together were an unstoppable force that were rarely separated. From sentry duty, to evenings at Undyne’s, they were together. They even gave Dogamy and Dogressa a run for their gold at last year’s nose nuzzling championship! All of the underground knew how much the two skeleton brothers were in love, watching the pair with fond eyes whenever they passed.

However, when Papyrus fell ill, Sans was lost. He was infuriated- He had tried every remedy to try and nurse his lover’s health back to pristine condition. Sea tea, monster candy, soul touching, body contact… None of it worked. Sans asked Toriel to try and heal Papyrus, but she was unable.

Eventually, Sans had given up hope and transported Papyrus to Alphys’ lab. The shy dinosaur hooked the frail skeleton up to machines to try and determine what was causing his rapid decrease in health. Even with daily tests, Alphys was unable to find a source of the sickness. It was like the sickness was magical and the irony was not lost to Sans.

On a trip back to Snowdin to gather some more clothes for himself and Papyrus, Sans decided to take the Riverperson’s boat. He dropped into the seat, letting out a weary sigh that rattled his bones.

“to snowdin, please.”

“Tra la la… Sometimes fate has a clear destiny for all. Tra la la.”

Sans’ soul skidded to a stop at the Riverperson’s cryptic words. “’scuse me?”

“Tra la la… Indeed, some are fated to die young. Only a true love’s sacrifice might work… Tra la la.”

A true love’s sacrifice…? Sans stared holes into the floor of the boat as he mulled over Riverperson’s message. Some are fated to die young? Did he mean Papyrus…? Sans’ eyelights blanked as he realized what was wrong with Papyrus. Fate had dealt the exuberant skeleton a nasty card that was unfitting for someone as great as him.

Papyrus was fated to suffer an early death and only a true love’s sacrifice could reverse the effects.

“hey-!”

The boat shuddered to a stop in the middle of waterfall. Riverperson swiveled their head around to face Sans, their hood shrouding any facial features that may have been lurking in the shadows.

“Tra la la… Maybe the man who speaks in hands could help. Tra la la.”

Dark blue magic enveloped the small skeleton, lifting him out of the boat and over to the river’s edge. Sans watched the Riverperson with wide sockets as he used magic eerily similar to his own to remove him and continued to watch as the boat was pushed further down the river.

Sans only knew one man who could fit the description of someone who speaks in hands, and somehow, he had been dropped off right at the doorway to the void. The skeleton wasn’t sure if he was in fear or awe of the Riverperson now, but he did appreciate his help in the matter. He pulled himself to his feet and padded over to the wall, knocking on it with quick rasps in a short pattern. Seconds after finishing the secret knock, a paper materialized on the wall that was covered in the telltale handwriting of his own father; W.D. Gaster.

 

_Sans,_

_If you’re reading this, that means it has begun. Papyrus has fallen ill and you are searching for a cure. That meddlesome Riverperson probably dropped you off here, did he not? While they interfere with many of my personal matters, I do appreciate them at this time… Regardless. Papyrus was born with a curse that haunts the Font line. Every few generations, the curse will re-materialize and the victim is cursed to die an early death. It is inevitable- My own father spoke of his sister who was also cursed in this manner. It strikes without mercy._

_However, there is a way to stop the curse. A true love’s sacrifice will simply do the trick, but is not a simple sacrifice that is for the faint of heart. I believe you can do it, but I warn it will not be easy. You must sacrifice yourself. Not in a traditional manner, mind you. You must erase every memory of yourself from Papyrus’ memory. From the time he was a baby bones to now. Every kiss, every whisper, every special moment the two of you shared must be erased. He will cease to remember you or be able to recognize you… You will simply not exist to him._

_I apologize that the two of you must suffer through this. It is your decision to make, my son. Take care._

_-Wing Dings_

 

Bright blue tears were falling from Sans’ sockets. The magic left streaks of blue against his white bones and the quiet cave echoed with the rattling of his bones. He couldn’t believe this… Fury bubbled beneath his grief, but Sans wasn’t sure who it was aimed at. Fate, maybe? The cruel mistress who seemed to take everything he loved away from him?

Of course, Sans already knew what had to be done. There was no hesitation on the matter. He would sacrifice their love to keep Papyrus alive. Sans’ soul twisted in pain at the thought but he ignored the feeling. Papyrus deserved a long life that would be filled with laughter, adventure, and maybe even another love. Sans couldn’t take that away from his own brother, the love of his life. He was not that selfish.

He teleported back to Alphys’ lab, startling the monster as she scribbled some notes on a clipboard. Alphys jerked away from the short skeleton as he stalked over to Papyrus’ bed, shoulders hunched and the tears still rolling over his cheeks.

“S-sans?”

“’m sorry, alph. watch over him for me, will you?”

A dry life escaped through Sans’ teeth and before Alphys could ask what he meant, Sans was leaning over Papyrus’ body. He grabbed the rounded cheekbones that he had peppered with kisses hundreds of times, staring down at the closed sockets that held his entire world. Weak magic thrummed against his fingers, the same magic that had caressed his body during late night love making and comforted him when he lost the will to get out of bed. Sans leaned in and pressed a gentle, yes forceful kiss upon the same teeth that he had revered for years. He poured every ounce of love he held into that kiss and as if on cue, memories began to flash through his sockets.

Their first kiss. The first time they held hands. Their first time together. When Papyrus had tried to drink ketchup. When they had switched outfits, laughing at the absurdity. Every time they had laid together on the cough, their phalanges entangled. Every morning that they shared. How the artificial sunlight glinted of Papyrus’ bones in the mornings. The gentle touches that they shared throughout the day. The way both of their sockets would crinkle with love when they looked at each other. How Papyrus' voice seemed as if it was caressing his name every time he spoke it.

Sans pulled back from Papyrus with a gasp. The room was spinning around him, the colors melting into each other. He knew that he had made his sacrifice, he could feel it in his bones. With a shaky laugh, he looked over to Alphys who had her mouth covered with her claws. Sans waved half-heartedly at her, but his attention was pulled back to Papyrus as he shifted on the bed.

“A-ALPHYS…?”

Without missing a beat, Sans teleported out of the room, leaving Alphys and Papyrus alone. He had made the split-second decision that he would be a mere bystander in the underground. After all, he had lost his only will to live, but he couldn’t leave him alone. Sans would simply watch over his lost love from the shadows…

 

* * *

 

 

Years passed, and Papyrus had flourished into a very successful skeleton. The overzealous skeleton had been accepted into the royal guard and had quickly climbed the ranks to become Undyne’s right hand. He was the first to find Frisk when they had adventured into Snowdin, capturing them with his puzzles that were much more complex than his childhood attempts.

However, Papyrus had refused to let Undyne or Asgore harvest Frisk’s soul and had lead them to the barrier, allowing them to shatter it and free all of monster-kind. Papyrus wasn’t sure how he knew to do that, but he reckoned it was simply thanks to his magnificent dreams!

Of course, throughout the years, he had remained unaware of the single glowing eye that followed him through the shadows and influenced his dreams with whispered words.

**Author's Note:**

> Shoot me some prompts so I can break more hearts and then heal them with tooth-rotting fluff or heavydirtysmut.  
> Bless.


End file.
